The Café
by Winter Blake
Summary: Jason makes a startling discovery when he realizes a kid he used to know was non other then Tim Drake, his replacement.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

The Café

I couldn't get over how weird being here felt. I hadn't been to this place since I was a kid. It had been a regular thing actually. Nearly everyday after school I would go to this café to get some food and do my homework. Bruce had always been very strict about my grades so I had to study a lot in order to meet his high expectations.

I'd always liked it here. The coffee was good, and the pastries fresh. It wasn't terribly over priced (not that it was a problem for me then- Bruce had given me a credit card with a "limit" that really wasn't a limit at all), and it was quiet. Then there had been that little boy who used to hang around as well. I'd never learned his name but we used to talk sometimes, and I had even walked him home once when his usual ride didn't show up. He'd been young, to young to be in some café after school by himself, but I got the impression his parents didn't really care about him. He was a small little thing, but incredibly intelligent for someone his age, and wasn't nosy like most other kids. He'd always acted much older then he really was- at times I was under the impression he had more maturity then I did myself.

I had approached him for the first time surprisingly. I'd noticed him hanging around for over a month, and every day he would come in, order his decaf Frappuccino, and then sit down and read, and frankly I was worried. The boy was so young and tiny, and I honestly didn't think it was safe for him to be wandering the streets of Gotham by himself. So I'd sat next to him one day and asked him where his parents were.

"Paris," he had said.

"Paris?" I repeated after him, raising my eyebrows suspiciously.

"Yeah. Don't worry; the maid is going to pick me up later. She picks me up and drops me off back home, and then she leaves for the night."

"So you are all by yourself?"

"No," he'd said rolling his big blue eyes. "I just told you we have a maid. I'm only by myself for a few hours, and I'm _sleeping_."

I had let the subject go, but after that day I made a point of sitting with the kid, helping him with his homework if needed, and also buying the kid a sandwich because I wasn't sure he was being fed properly at home (and I really didn't want him to try and cook for himself).

The last time I had seen the kid he was ten maybe.

"I'm not going to see you here again," he'd said when I told him I had to go home early that day.

"'Course you will. I'll be here Monday, same time as always."  
"But I won't. My parents are sending me to boarding school."

"Oh," I was stunned for a minute. I didn't know this kid very well, but I'd spent a year with this kid every weekday after school. He was always there no matter what, even when he was sick. And here I was about to say goodbye to him for the last time.

"Yeah," his voice was sad. "I'm leaving this weekend."

"Well… it's been nice knowing you kid."

"You too Jason."

He had continued to look down at his paper, not look at me.

"Here," I said rummaging through my bag and extracting my keychain. I had a Superman keychain that I'd gotten to annoy Bruce, and I always felt great satisfaction whenever Bruce saw it an inevitable scowl graced his face. I remember the kid liked it though- he'd seen it a couple times and had said it was really cool.

"He's my third favorite superhero," he'd said the first time he saw it.

"And who are the others?" I asked. I expected him to say Batman and The Flash or something, but the kid surprised me.

"Batman and Robin. I think I like Robin better then Batman though."  
"Really?" I asked smirking but also genuinely surprised (I'd never heard that answer before). Oh if only this kid knew.

"Yeah. Batman _needs_ Robin. Robin is essential."

So without a second thought I handed the kid the key chain. "Take this."

"Oh I couldn't," he instantly started to protest. For a rich kid he was incredibly humble, and I'd always felt that he had never gotten much attention. Any type of attention paid to him he instantly started to stammer and blush, thinking he didn't deserve any.

"Yes you can," I said firmly. "I want you to. Think of it as a memento to always remember me by."

"Alright," his voice was hesitant, but he held onto the keychain firmly anyway.

"Bye kid," I mumbled and then left, but not before I heard him yell, "Goodbye Jason!"

I was already out the door when I realized I didn't know the kids name. I always kind of regretted that.

So there I was in the same café as a grown man, and instinctively I looked around for a little boy with intelligent blue eyes. It didn't even occur to me that he had would have grown up.

"I'll take the strongest thing you've got," a tired yet familiar voice said catching my attention.

I looked up and there he was. _Replacement. _

We'd made up and had somewhat of a better relationship then when we first met and I'd tried to kill him, although things could sometimes bet a bit… uneasy. After I'd given him the Red Robin costume when he'd been replaced things got better between us. We were both the unwanted Robins, and I suppose there was some sort of… camaraderie we had formed after that. We had both been replaced.

In retrospect I could appreciate that his "job loss" was a bit worse then mine. I'd never been fired by my brother and then replaced with a kid who had tried to kill me. I hadn't been fired at all. I'd died. A few years back I wouldn't have seen it that way, but I was older and less angry. I could appreciate that this kid had lost a lot and been through some damn hard times that possibly rivaled some of my own.

"Hey Tim," I said from my table. He looked up at me surprised for a minute, and then a small hesitant smile appeared on his face. I could tell that he wasn't sure if he was supposed to go to another table and sit or sit with me so I helped him out.

"Take a seat," I gestured to the empty chair at my table. "You look exhausted," I added when he sat down. He had bags under his eyes, and his complexion was whiter then white.

"I'm fine," he instantly denied.

"Sure you are."

"I am."

"Uh hu. So what has you so tired? Day or night related work?"

"Night," he scowled. "Dick asked me to help out him and Damian."

"What?"

"Bruce is out of town… on… 'business', and with the mass breakout from Arkham… well…"

"Dick needs all the help he can get."  
"Yeah."

"Having fun working with your replacement? Feels great doesn't it," I couldn't help but say unkindly.

"Shut up Jason," he snapped at me with more bite then usual. Wow, the kid must really be tired.

He suddenly put his head in his hands and for a split second I was afraid the kid was crying. He took his face out of soon though, and I realized he had just been shielding his eyes from the light. Tim needed a nap pronto.

"Something else is bugging you," I said, unable to help being nosy.

"My dad's wife is in town and wants to have dinner tonight."

"I thought your dad died."  
"He _did_. But he was also married. It's his widow that wants to see me. She's nice but… I don't know. It's just _awkward_. She seems to think we're family, but we aren't. I mean my dad died and she just left. She left and I never even saw her after the funeral. I mean… I didn't want to see her anyway, I had Bruce, but… I don't know. I just wish I didn't have to see her."  
"You don't."

"Of course I do. We're having dinner tonight."  
"Don't show."  
"I can't not show up Jason. That would be rude."

"So? Fuck polite society."

"I wish Bruce were here. He'd come with me if I asked."  
"I say don't go at all."

"I can't just cancel on her. That would be _rude_."  
"Why did you even agree to go in the first place?"

"She asked. I couldn't…"  
"You are to nice sometimes Tim, you know that?"

"Whatever. It's better then being and asshole all the time."

"How do you know if you've never tried?"

Tim just shook his head and took a long gulp from his coffee cup. He looked ready to collapse, and I was worried about him being out by himself- on patrol or just driving. So when he wasn't paying attention I discreetly snatched his keys from his pocket. It was a testament to how tired he was that he didn't notice. Tim usually notices everything.

"You should probably opt out of patrol tonight," I said.

"Can't. With almost every inmate on the loose I'm needed out there on the streets. After dinner it's straight to the rooftops."

"Joker's on the loose to you know."

"I'm well aware. So far he hasn't killed anyone. Lets see how long that lasts."

"You shouldn't be out there unless you're at your best Tim. And you look about ready to keel over."

"The coffee will help."  
"How much?"

"I'll take a five hour energy before going on the streets, okay? Since when have you cared so much anyway?"

"I don't."  
"Well you sure are doing a good impression of it."  
"You're clearly delusional. Probably because you're so tired."

"And that's my cue to go. I have work to do."

"See ya babybird," I smirked, as I held onto the keychain in my pocket.

I waited a few minutes before Tim (expectedly) burst through the door and ran up to me angrily.

"You took me keys," he accused.

"Me?" I widened my eyes innocently. "Why would you ever accuse _me_ of stealing?"

"Because you are an asshole, and you took my keys. Give them back."  
"I didn't take your keys."

"Then where did they go?"

"Maybe they fell."

"No they didn't. They were in my pocket."

"You probably just lost them."  
"I didn't. Jason just give me the damn keys back."  
I said nothing, and instead opted to take a sip of my coffee.

"Fine, I'll just hotwire my car. At least give me my keychain back, it was a gift."

"You aren't going to hotwire your car."  
"Sure I am."

"_No_. You're to tired to drive."

"Well what do you expect me to do? Sit here all day?"

"Sure, why not?"

"_Jason_."

"A nice kid used to come in here. Maybe he moved back and will keep you company while you're recuperating."

Tim froze for a second and looked at me surprised. "A kid?" he asked.

"Yeah, some kid used to come in here everyday. Don't stray from the subject Tim!"

"And what's the subject?"

"You are overworked and need to take a damn nap."  
"I'm _fine._"

"No you aren't."  
"Jason give me my keys."  
"No."

"Will you at least drive me back home?"

I thought about it for a moment before I agreed and escorted Tim out of the café and into his car.

While driving I looked down at his Superman keychain and chuckled. It looked a lot like the one I had once had.

"Your boyfriend give this to you?" I asked the scowling Tim.

"Kon is not my boyfriend!"

"Could have fooled me," I smiled as Tim's scowl only deepened. "You two should just admit to your undying love for each other and-"

"There is no undying love. Kon has a girlfriend and I have…"  
"Nothing."

"I had Steph."

"Emphasis on _had_."

"I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual." I looked down at the keys again suspiciously. "So where'd you get this thing anyway?"

"Where'd I get what?"

"The keychain."  
"Oh… nowhere."  
"You said it was a gift."

"Yeah. I got it ages ago. I don't remember who gave it to me." Tim was clearly lying.

"I had one just like this," I wasn't sure why I was so concerned about the stupid Superman keychain. I just had this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Tim grunted in reply.

"I gave it to that kid in the café I mentioned. I wonder whatever happened to him…"

"Jason…"

"What?"  
"Never mind."

"No, what were you gonna say?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

"No, you had something to say. Spit it out."  
"What do you remember about that kid?"

I stared at him because of his weird question but then decided to humor him in his tired delirium.

"I don't know. He was just some poor neglected kid that used to come to that café. I would sit with him make sure he wasn't hurt or anything."

"So you pitied him?"

"No, I liked him. He was pretty smart."

"Oh."

"He probably wouldn't have stood for my pity."

"He probably didn't deserve it. I'm sure he was just fine."  
"And how do you know," I accused.

"I don't. I'm just saying. Jeeze." I looked over to Tim as he rolled his tired blue eyes and…

"You're eyes!" I yelled, probably making no damn sense at all.

"Excuse me?"

"You rolled them just like the kid!"

"Lot's of people roll their eyes."  
"No! You have his eyes."  
"Maybe we're related," Tim laughed nervously.

"I tried to kill you!"

"Yes," Tim said slowly, as if I were mentally challenged. "You did. Multiple times."

"No! I mean… you're The Kid!"

Tim just sighed as if admitting defeat. "You named me The Kid?"

"Well… yeah. So you admit it! You're him."  
"Yes Jason. I thought you knew."

"How would I have known?"  
"I wasn't exactly subtle! What do you think I was doing there?"

"What?"

"You do know that I discovered Batman and Robin's identities when I was eight, right? When Bruce took you in I realized that you were the new Robin."

"You knew I was Robin?"  
"Of course I did! I used to hang out there after school so I could spy on you!"  
"You were stalking me?"

"No, not… not stalking… just… curious. And I did actually need a place to go after school. I just… happened to go to the café you went to."

"So you stalked me."

Tim didn't respond. He just gave me his best glare, which was admittedly kind of frightening. Shit. Had he learned that from Bruce? How come I never got that good at it?

There was a tense silence before Tim spoke up. "I always assumed you had figured out that I was the kid. Didn't realize you didn't know. I suppose it doesn't matter."

Everything was getting to heavy so I tried to lighten the mood with a joke. "I was your favorite hero."

"No, Robin was. I never said which," Tim smiled up at me while I glared. He didn't seem fazed.

"So you meant Dick."

"Sorry Jason."

"Nah it's fine. You did stalk him much more then me."  
"I never stalked him."

"Well he had moved out of the city. I'm sure you would have it you had found a way."  
"No. I never wanted to bother you guys. If you recall I never started any conversation with you. I didn't want to get in the way."

"Well I liked you back then. Now the know-it-all thing is kind of annoying."

"You still like me, don't pretend."

"I'm not pretending. I hate you Replacement."

"Then why are you so concerned about me?"

"Just go to sleep Babybird."  
"I can't."

"Why?"

"I'm not going to want to get up."

"Good. I'll cancel your plans for the day."

"I have to go to that damn dinner with my stepmom."  
"I'll cancel that to."

"I have to go."

"Fine… I'll make you a deal. You can go to the dinner but not on patrol."

"Wait so if I don't go to the dinner you don't mind me going out on patrol?"

"Oh I'm stopping you from going out on patrol not matter what."  
"So that isn't a deal, your just conceding to one thing. And you can't stop me doing what I want. You can't tell me what to do."

"Of course I can. I'm your older brother, and you have to do as I say when the Old Man is away."

"Pretty sure Dick is who he left in charge."

"Whatever. I'm still older and can therefore tell you what to do."

"No, you can't."

"Well I can lock your door and prevent you from leaving."

"I'll sneak out the window."  
"I'll talk to Dick and tell him you're to tired to patrol."

"No you won't."

"Just watch me."  
"You're such an asshole."  
"Love you to little 'bro."

A few minutes later when I look over at Tim he's fast asleep. I carefully reach for his cell phone and find the number for his stepmom.

"Hello? Tim?" She says when she answers after four rings.

"This isn't actually Tim," I say hesitantly. For Tim's sake I'm going to try to be as polite as possible.

"You aren't Bruce though."

"No I'm actually his brother, Jason."

"Oh, well… it's nice to speak to you. I hope Tim isn't too much trouble with you guys. He's really a good kid."  
"I know. He's my brother." Something bugged me about the way she just assumed we didn't know Tim. How would she though? She probably just thought Bruce did a good thing and adopted the boy. She must not have known how well we knew him before. But hadn't Tim lived with Bruce at one point _before_ his father died? Hadn't he moved in with Bruce for a year or something after his mother had died?

"Right, yes, of course. Well what can I do for you Jason?"

"It's about Tim actually. He's not feeling well, and he only finally fell asleep. Is there anyway you can reschedule the dinner or something? He can't go out tonight."

"Well I'm only in town for the day, but that's okay. I'll just see him next time I'm in town."  
"Great, thanks." Without waiting for a response on the other end I promptly hung up on her and parked the car in front of the manor.

Taking great care to be extra quiet as I closed the car door and opened Timmy's, I carefully picked him up afraid that he might wake. He was small and easy to carry but I knew that if I startled him he would probably have punched me- and I knew that would hurt.

Alfred must have seen me coming because he opened the Manor's door for me without a word. I saw Dick as I was carrying Tim upstairs and decided to tell him that under no circumstances was Tim allowed out on patrol.

"Did he actually think I was going to let him out?" Dick asked to my surprise.

"You noticed?" I asked.

"Of course I noticed that he was overworking himself again. He's also sick. He has a slight fever."

I hadn't noticed that. Hu. I guess there is a reason Dick's considered the best big brother.

"I unfortunately can't stay to take care of him tonight, but will you watch him for me?" I was about to protest but Dick wouldn't let me. "If he wakes up give him chamomile tea, it's the best to get him back to sleep. He likes it with honey. Oh and he's allergic to-"

"_Dick_. He's seventeen. I'm pretty sure he can tell me what he's allergic to if needed."

"Yeah, I guess," Dick said softly as he ran his hand through Tim's hair.

"You can always look after him tomorrow," I offered feeling a little bad for Dick. He looked so upset.

"I guess. Just stay with him please? I don't want him to be alone."

"Alright," I agreed reluctantly, and I started to move to Tim's bedroom with the sleeping teen.

"And make sure to give him at least three extra blankets!" Dick called after me. "Extra thick! Oh and don't let him touch his computer! And make sure he eats something! Soup or something." Dick was still issuing commands when I entered Tim's room and closed the door. I unceremoniously dropped the kid onto the bed, only slightly surprised when he didn't wake. He had fallen into a deep sleep, clearly in need of a good nights rest.

I rolled my eyes when I hear Dick yell about emergency numbers or something. Shit. And I thought I was being protective of Tim. Apparently Dick's the king of overprotective brothers. With that in mind I filed away a reminder to never be sick in front of Dick. He'd probably lock me up forever like he seemed to be planning to do with Tim.

Tim ended up sleeping the whole night, and when Dick came back from patrol he had run upstairs to sit and watch Tim, and I left. A week later I got a call from Tim begging to be rescued from Dick. I ended up taking pity on the kid and busting him out. After all, he had kept my keychain.

**Please R&R**


End file.
